i went CES 2023 Mostly to check out new TVs, but as I wandered the large, crowded hall, I kept bumping into a related product category: projectors.
This The best 4K projectors Now available in a variety of flavors including long throw, extra short throw and portable versions, all of which were on display at CES. I was honestly surprised by the number of projector brands on display at the show. We’re obviously living in an age of big-screen TVs, and there’s no shortage of options for getting cinema-quality images at home.
While I didn’t get to see all of the projectors at CES, I did have a chance to spend some quality time with most of the ones listed below. The range is equally weighted between DLP-based ultra-short-throw projectors and portable models, with JVC’s long-throw DLP projectors being picked for their gaming capabilities and affordability.
1. AWOL Vision LTV-2500+
The AWOL Vision LTV-2500+ ($3,499) was installed in an open booth with bright overhead lights. Even so, it outputs images with good brightness, contrast, and color saturation in challenging environments.
That’s thanks in large part to the projector’s triple laser engine (one each for the red, green, and blue primaries), which delivers 2,600 lumens of light output and 107 percent coverage of the Rec.2020 color space. (AWOL also sells a similarly featured 3,500-lumen model, the LTV-3500, for $5,499.) The LTV-2500+ uses an all-glass lens for sharp focus and can deliver images from 80 to 150 inches.
One feature of the LTV-2500+ (and LTV-3500) is 3D support, something that other ultra-short throw models don’t have.New Blu-ray movies in 3D are few and far between, but 3D fans still love them best blu ray player and disc collections, which the company added based on user requests. (AWOL includes active shutter glasses with a projector.)
The LTV-2500+ can also handle HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and Dolby Vision support will be coming soon, added via a firmware update, according to company representatives I spoke with at CES.In addition, the projector comes with a Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max It’s for streaming and has an HDMI eARC port for connecting an external soundbar. It also looks like a good choice for gaming, with a specified input lag of 30ms for 4K sources and 17ms for 1080P sources.
2. Hisense L9H three-color laser TV
Hisense is showing off a full line of new projectors at CES, including an 8K and several 4K ultra-short-throw projectors as well as a new laser-powered portable projector. What caught my attention was the L9H TriChroma laser TV, no doubt because of the exceptional brightness (3,000 ANSI lumens) of its triple laser light engine. Like the AWOL UST model, the L9H is specified to offer 107% coverage of the Rec.2020 color space and has Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range support out of the box.
By 2023, the Hisense Laser TV lineup will transition from Android TV (err…) to Google TV. This interface upgrade would make using the projector just like navigating on a regular smart TV, but in this case with a 100- or 120-inch screen. The new ambient light suppression screen included with the Hisense projector has also been upgraded, going from a negative gain to a 1.0 gain for increased brightness.
Other features of the L9H include Wi-Fi 6e support for high-bandwidth streaming, AirPlay 2 and a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner For viewing next-generation digital television broadcasts in the United States.
3. Leica Cinema Laser TV
Just next to the Hisense main booth is a dark space containing another impressive demo of an ultra-short-throw projector, this one from renowned German camera maker Leica. The company’s new Cine 1 laser TV, a collaboration with Hisense, is a triple-laser model like the Hisense L9H, but with a light output of 2,500 lumens. Like the Hisense, it has a Google TV smart interface, a built-in TV tuner (though it doesn’t support ATSC 3.0), and comes with 100- or 120-inch screen options.
As a camera company, you’d expect Leica to be involved in lens design for projectors, and that’s exactly what happened. I must say that the images projected on the company’s booth looked very clear. Leica Image Optimizer (LIO) processing is built in to improve image quality, and the handsome perforated aluminum and red dot housing echoes the elegant design of the company’s cameras.
The Cine Laser TV will be available in Europe this spring and arrive in the US later this year, starting at $8,295 for the 100-inch model.
4. Samsung Fancy (2023)
Samsung’s fancy Thanks to its clever and versatile design, it’s currently our top pick for a portable projector for a wide range of indoor and outdoor projection applications. It’s also an affordable portable projector option considering all the cool things it can do, including streaming from apps using the same Tizen smart interface found in company TVs.
By 2023, the refreshed The Freestyle will get Samsung’s cloud-based gaming hub through apps like Microsoft Xbox, Utomik, and Amazon Luna. The new edge blending feature allows two independent Freestyle projectors to combine and create an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio display with automatic keystone correction (pictured above). Game on, Samsung.
5. Feiying V10
The portable projector space is getting crowded, with laser-based 4K models from many known and unknown manufacturers.When stopping by the Formovie booth cinema projectorAmong the world’s first products to support Dolby Vision HDR with a built-in high-performance Bowers & Wilkins Dolby Atmos audio system, I came across an interesting new portable model that recently came out: the V10.
The V10 is a 4K projector with an LED-based light engine rated at 2,500 ANSI lumens of light output and capable of projecting images from 60 to 150 inches. Its specs also list a 240Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 connection as well as 12ms input lag when gaming. Streaming with the V10 is done through the Android TV smart interface.
While all of these specs look good, especially when it comes to gaming, the real reason you’re buying a V10 is its looks, and it’s available now for around $2,000. With a natural wood top control panel and a fabric mesh enclosure, this is one of the nicest looking portable projectors I’ve seen and totally worthy of a prime living room location.
6. XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro
I didn’t have a chance to check out the XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro in person – at the CES event I attended, the XGIMI rep was there, but the MoGo 2 Pro was oddly absent – but given our positive experience MogoProand the company’s track record in delivering high-quality portable projector designs, I believe it will be one of the better models coming in 2023.
Specs-wise, the MoGo 2 Pro is a lightweight (2.2-pound) 1080p model with HDR10 support. The image size is said to be expandable up to 200 inches, meaning you could project onto the side of a freak barn with this thing. Best of all, the Mogo 2 Pro looks cool and features the company’s Smart Screen Adaptive technology (version 2.0), which automatically adjusts the image to a perfect, perfectly focused image no matter where you place the projector 16:9 rectangle.
The MoGo 2 Pro will be available “soon”.
7. JVC LX-NZ30
JVC’s LX-NZ30 is another projector that I wasn’t able to check out in person, in this case because CES is so big that it’s spread across the Las Vegas Strip and the main convention center. But I wanted to include it on this list because JVC doesn’t make a bad projector yet, and the LX-NZ30 looks like a great choice for watching movies and playing games.
The LX-NZ30 features a 1080p DLP design that uses four-way e-shift to achieve a 4K screen resolution. According to JVC, it “supports input up to 1080P/240Hz with a latency as low as 6.25ms”. In addition to the HDMI connection, it also has a DisplayPort 1.2a input for direct connection to a PC. The LX-NZ30 features a laser light source with dynamic dimming for enhanced contrast and flexible setting options including horizontal and vertical lens shift and 1.6x optical zoom.
The LX-NZ30 will be available in late March for $3,499.